Celebrity chef Jamie cooks up a treat for 50p

It might not seem a lot to most of us but, for chef Jamie Oliver, 13p could mean the difference between success and failure.

The TV star, who has been given the task of improving school dinners for youngsters in a London borough, now has 13p extra per meal per child to spend on his menus - taking the total from 37p to 50p.

It was feared his drive to make lunches healthier by using fresh fish and vegetables would stall because of a lack of money. But councillors in Greenwich, where Oliver has spent a year working and filming in school kitchens, have stumped up an extra £150,000 for the year.

The cash is needed to pay dinner ladies for an extra hour each morning preparing fresh produce, after they complained it was impossible to stick to Oliver's menus without being given more time.

Twenty-five schools in the borough have already removed processed food from the menu and 55 more are set to follow by the summer.

Oliver was told the good news after the first episode of his new series, Jamie's School Dinners, was shown on Channel 4 on Wednesday.

He said: "I was not asking for a lot of money but it could change the whole foundation of how we do food in schools."

Council leader Chris Roberts added: "The new menus are proving a great success with schools, children and parents."